Wet treatment plant for textiles



Nov. 13, 1962 G. FLElssNER wET TREATMENT PLANT FOR TEXTILES Filed oct. s1, 1958 United `rates Patent liice 3,063,279 WET TREATMENT PLANT FR TEXTILES Gerold Fleissner, Egelsbach, Germany, assigner to Fleissner & Sohn, G.m.b.H., & Co., Egelsbach, Germany, a firm Filed Oct. 31, 1958, Ser. No. 771,104 3 Claims. (Cl. 6822) The present invention refers to treatment plant for strip and similar textile materials, such as strands, threads, yarn, bands or like cable-forming lengthy goods.

It is one of the primary objects of the invention to provide means offering the possibility of causing lengthy libre material to run continuously first through a liquor or like wet treatment bath and subsequently through pressure or squeeze rollers, from which the extracted liquid may be automatically returned for re-use in the bath, Vthe material assuming temporarily a substantially dry state after leaving the squeeze rollers, whereafter the fibres of the material will be more readily saturated with the bath liquid.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means facilitating predetermined guidance of the strip or like lengthy fibrous material in several spaced and parallel convolutions about liquor applying means and thereafter about pressure roller means.

It is another object of the invention to provide means utilizing suction to guide the strip or like lengthy material through lthe bath and wherein the suction can be controlled or localized to facilitate the movement or travel of the strip material out of the bath.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide means facilitating the handling, in an apparatus of Athe described type, of relatively delicate materials so that said materials may be readily disengageable from lthe means utilized to move the material through the bathr as they leave the bath.

Still a [further object of the present invention is to provide means contributing to a highly economical and space-saving wet treatment plant yfor dyeing, bleaching, impregnating and like operation of strip-shaped textile material, the latter being [guided over a drum of a :bath receptacle forming part of and contained in said plant.

Yet a Afurther object of the invention resides in the provision -of means conducive to a continuous treatment of lengthy -fibrous material Ithrough a liquid bath and subsequently through guide and squeeze rollers outside said bath thereby to enhance the eicacy of the treatment contemplated -by .this invention.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means engendering substantially equal spacings between lthe convolutions ofthe said material While the latter is moved from and back to the bath via squeeze rollers located without said bath, the latter being adjustably mounted relative to said bath.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide means relieving the suction with which the material under treatment adheres to the drum surface and over which said material is moved, as soon as said material leaves the Ibath containing said drum.

Further and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification taken in connection with the appended drawing.

In the drawing which illustrates the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention, the sole tgure is a diagrammatic illustration, partly in section, of a treatment apparatus pursuant to the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, there is shown a receptacle or tub 5 preferably formed of metal or any other suitable material for containing a liquid or fluid 3,063,279 Patented Nov. 13, 1962 bath 6. As shown, the receptacle 5 is substantially rectangular in longitudinal section and is open at the top, as at 7. The bath 6 may be constituted by any liquid suitable for the process at hand. For example, and not by way of limitation, `the Abath may be constituted by a rinsing liquid, a washing liquid, a dyeing liquid, etc.

Pursuant to the present invention, a drum 1 is mounted for rotation within the container 5. More specifically, the drum has a shaft 8, which projects from one end thereof, and is journalled in the end w-all 9 of the receptacle 5. At its opposite end, the drum is mounted for rotation relative to a pump housing 11 which projects into the receptacle from the other end wall 12 thereof. A circulation pump or like device y13 is mounted within the housing I1 and projects slightly from the open side 14 of the housing. It will 'be understood that the pump propeller shaft 15, which extends through the receptacle wall 412, is rotated by conventional drive means (not illustrated) The periphery of the drum 1 is suitably perforated, as at 16, or the periphery may be constituted by a screen member. Consequently, it will be apparent that rotation of the circulating pump or propeller 13- will stir and set up rotary currents in the liquid bath 6, which flows through the perforations or interstices 16, to effect rotation of the drum 1, in the receptacle 5, it :being noted in this connection, that the drum overlaps the housing 11 which extends into the open end of the drum, a suitable clearance 17 being provided therebetween, and the drum rotating in the direction of the arrow 18. The pump draws liquid from the drum into the housing 11 and expels the liquid through the housing and effects circulation currents in the liquid in the same direction of rotatlion as that of the propeller 13 which currents rotate the rum.

A pair yof rollers 3 and 4 are mounted :above the open end 7 of the receptacle 5. Roller 3 functions as a guide roller and roller 4 is a complementary pressure or squeeze roller. Conventional means, not shown, such as an electric motor or the like designated 20 is provided to eect rotation of the companion rollers 3 and 4 so that they rotate in the directions of the arrows 19 and 20, respectively. The particular drive means employed do not form an important aspect of the invention.

Pursuant to an important aspect of the present invention, the axes of the rollers 3 and 4 are inclined relative to the horizontal axis 8 of the drum `1, for a purpose which will presently be described. In this connection suitable provision is made to adjust the degree of inclination of said rollers. Any conventional adjustment means may be employedsuch as screw threaded adjustment members, which particular adjustment means do not form any important aspect of the invention.

The strip material 21 is Wound 'about the drum 1 and is threaded between the rollers 3 and 4. Consequently, during operation of the pump or propeller 13, the drum is rotated, as previously described, by currents set up on the liquid 6, and movement of the liquid through the perforations 16 provides suicient suction for the elongated strip or strand material to adhere to the periphery of the drum so that the material is carried by the drum through the Ibath liquid, 4continuously tnavelling over the guide roller 3 out of and back into the bath. The pressure roller 4 squeezes the material to remove as much as possible of the liquid therefrom before the material returns to the bath for Successive inundation and treatment thereby so as to greatly increase the eiiicacy of the treatment.

The i-nclin-ation of the rollers provides for two highly desirable results. Firstly, it permits the liquid, which is squeezed out of the material, to low back into the bath.

Secondly, it permits for the maintenance of a desired spacing l between the convolutions of the material. By making such inclination adjustable, said spacing may be varied, as required.

Pursuant to an important aspect of the present invention,` provision is made to eliminate the lsuction adherence of the strip material to the periphery of the drum as the material moves out of the bath over the guide roller 3. In this connection, provision is made for a covering plate or shutter 2 which is provided within the drum 1 inwardly of its outer surface or periphery. More specifically, the shutter 2 is mounted within the drum and does not rotate with the latter so that it is always positioned inwardly of the upper portion of the drum periphery, as shown, and underlies the guide roller. The shutter is preferably arcuate in conformation and its widthwise dimension extends over an arcuate segment of the drum.

The extent of said arcuate segment, and consequently the Widthwise dimension of the shutter 2, is determined by two tangents, which are lspaced by substantially 180 degrees on opposite surfaces of the roller 3 and which extend in tangential relation to the drum `1.

One longitudinal marginal edge of the shutter is shown by the reference numeral 2a and it will be understood that the opposing marginal edge is at the same distance below the apogee 2b of the shutter. The shutter 2 is held against rotationV by attachment tothe housing 11 at the opening 14.

-Due to the fixed disposition of the shutter 2 within the rotating drum, it will be apparent that the suction at the circumference of the drum is greatly reduced or substantially eliminated at the segment thereof which overlies the shutter. Consequently, as the strip-material reaches said segment during its withdrawal from the bath, the adherence lthereof by suction to the drum is practically eliminated. As a result, the material does not adhere to the drum and can travel out of the bath without injury or damage to the material. This is of utmost importance in the case of delicate fabrics. While only one shutter has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that it is Within the scope of the present invention to utilize a greater number. In addition to relieving the suction at the point where the material is to be disengaged from the drum the shutter also serves to increase the degree of suction over the remainder of the drum circumference where it is desired thatathe material ad'- here to the drum.

`Due to the constant return of the liquid from the rollers 3 4 to the bath, the latter does not have to be replenished. At most, it is necessary only to occasionally supply additive ingredients or additional liquid tothe bath means to revolve said drum, roller means mounted above .the open top of said receptacle for guiding and pressing strip material looped about said drum for carrying the material out of the bath and returning the material to .the bath, the axis of said roller means being inclined at an acute angle toward the axis of the drum, said means to stir said bath comprising a circulation pump, said circulation pump including a propeller mounted within said receptacle, a housing mounted Within said receptacle for said propeller, said housing being open at one side thereof, and said drum being open at one side and being mounted on and overlying said housing in spaced relation relative thereto.

2. Apparatus ofthe character described comprising a receptacle open at the top thereof and being adapted to have a liquid :bath therein, a perforated drum rotatably mounted within said receptacle, means for stirring said bath, means to revolve said drum, drivenroller means mounted above the open top of the receptacle for guiding and pressing strip material looped -about said drum for carrying the material out of said bath and returning the material to said bath, the axis of said roller means being inclined `toward the axis of said drum, said means for stirring said bath providing liquid suction for adherence of said strip material to the periphery of said drum, and means to substantially eliminate said suction at a predetermined portion of the drum periphery, said means to eliminate suction comprising stationary shutter means mounted within the drum periphery, said shutter means being arcuate in formation and immediately underlying said roller means, the widthwise dimension o-f said shutter means being defined by spaced tan'gents extending from said roller means to said drum, said roller means comprising a guide roller and a complementary pressure roller overlying said guide roller and said tangents extending from said guide roller and being spaced .by substantially degrees. thereon, said means for stirring said bath comprising a circulation pump, said circulation pump including a propeller mounted within said receptacle, a housing mounted Within said receptacle for said propeller, said housing being open at one side thereof, said drum being open at one side and being mounted on and overlying said housing in spaced relation relative thereto.

3. Apparatus of the character described in claim l wherein said means `to stir said ibathprovides liquid suction for adherence of said strip material to `the periphery of said drum, andmeans to substantially-eliminate said suction at a predetermined portion of the drum periphery immediately underlying said roller means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 313,306 Farmer Mar. 3, 1885 721,630 Willard Feb. 24, 1903 858,068 Hartley June 25, 1907 985,695 Palmer Feb. 28, 1911 1,677,573 Watkins July 17, 1928 2,753,706 Franklin July 10, 1956 2,883,259 Severini Apr. 21, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 493,113V Germany Mar. 1, 1930 665,116 France Apr. 30, 1929 

